Soto (left calf) goes on IL for 2nd time this season

NEW YORK -- Mets outfielder Juan Soto, who has been nursing a nagging left calf injury for more than a week, was placed on the 10-day injured list on Saturday. The club recalled infielder Eric Wagaman from Triple-A Syracuse.

Before Friday's game, interim manager Andy Green acknowledged that the outfielder’s calf was still bothering him, but not enough to keep him out of the lineup. For that reason, Soto started at DH despite not having played the outfield since Monday.

Rather than dissipate, however, the injury lingered for Soto, who initially complained of calf soreness during a July 16 game in Philadelphia. Though Soto returned to the lineup two days later for the Mets’ next game, he sat out the series finale in Milwaukee on Wednesday. On Friday, he felt discomfort in his calf pushing off first base early in the game.

This is a separate injury from the right calf strain that sent Soto to the injured list for two and a half weeks in April. Soto is expected to be out for a longer period with this injury.

The Mets’ lone All-Star, Soto was batting .283/.408/.539 with 21 homers in 84 games at the time of his latest departure.

The Mets will likely proceed most days with an outfield of A.J. Ewing in left, Luis Robert Jr. in center and Carson Benge in right -- at least until or unless the Mets deal Robert, a candidate to be moved before the Aug. 3 Trade Deadline. Jorge Polanco would assume the lion’s share of DH reps in Soto’s absence.